Frost / Nixon User Reviews

Frost/Nixon would be a wonderful film which I would enthusiastically give my highest rating if it weren’t for one flaw. It contains a deception at its core. That aside it is a very captivating story about Nixon’s first interview after resigning from the Presidency. Director Ron Howard saw Peter Morgan’s stage play by the same name and decided to bring it to the big screen. Read my full review at johnhuntspace.com/reviews.html

01/04/2009, 12:54 am

Even if you know close to nothing about political history it is safe to say you have probably heard of Watergate. It is also safe to say that you correlate Watergate with the 1970s and President Richard Nixon. In Ron Howard’s new masterpiece Frost/Nixon we are taken back to the Summer of 1977 to play witness to a series of interviews between TV personality David Frost and semi-exiled Ex-President Richard Nixon. What transpires over the course of the film is nothing short of brilliance in the way of character performance, equaled shot for shot by Michael Sheen as Frost, the successful foreign showman who is trying to climb back into the NY picture, and Frank Langella as Nixon, a proud, larger-than life figure battling his own demons while trying to clear his tarnished reputation. I am not a political historian, but in doing some basic research on the film it is apparent that liberties were taken with some of the facts and sequences, but after all this is not billed a documentary and that should not deter you in any way from enjoying this as a fictionalized piece imbrued with mostly fact, or factual like scenarios. The movie takes you through the tormented minds of two very different people over seemingly very different issues, but ultimately, what we find, is that these two are more alike than either could have ever imagined, and the culminating scenes of the film draw us in deeply to the minds of these two as they fight man to man in a verbal battle that will ultimately lead to a staggering conclusion. The film itself sets up as a character piece early on, in which we come to learn of David Frost and how he went from the top of the world in terms of US stature to fighting his way through talk shows and entertainment venues in Australia. He badly wants to get back to the top in the capital of the world- New York City. After the resignation of Richard Nixon and subsequent Presidential pardon, there was no closure, no apology, no admission, and simply no acknowledgment by Ex-President Nixon. He simply moved to California and did not speak of such things. Though Sheen gives an impressive performance and is as much the driving force of the film as anything, it is simply the work of Langella that reaches out and grabs you by the neck and says “Hey! This is what acting is all about!” His portrayal of the disgraced Ex-President, looking for redemption, seeking something he cannot quite grasp, is one of the greatest performances I have ever seen on the big screen. I was captivated by his movements and even more so his larger-than-life presence. With each cut to him exiting a vehicle, or psyching himself up with a quick jog to music, I found myself feeling both sympathy and pity for this man. I will not give out more details though it is widely known how the interviews turned out. I am simply going to say that this is an absolute must see film and has quickly bolted to my top movie of 2008.

01/03/2009, 2:27 am

DON'T MISS THIS ONE!!!

01/02/2009, 12:02 pm

Amazing! One of the best movies I've ever seen. It does an excellent job in showing what goes on behind closed doors.

12/28/2008, 5:19 pm

This movie is boring. it has a decent ending. i don't see what the hype is all about.. i wouldnt recommend it.

12/27/2008, 10:17 pm

GREAT MOVIE. I didn't think this movie or topic could be so captivating, but it was. The acting of Frank Langella was SUPERB. You do not see Frank Langella in this movie. You ACTUALLY SEE NIXON. I highly recommend this movie.

12/26/2008, 7:41 am

One of the best movies of the year. Enthralling movie, did not look at my watch during the movie. Great portrayal of Nixon by Langella. Highly recommended

12/26/2008, 7:25 am

Not a dull moment in a wonderful, yet sad movie. Frank Langella does the performance of his life. He IS Nixon. Even though you know the story, you know the facts, you can't let go of the brilliant cast and the work by Ron Howard in putting this masterpiece together. Go see it.

12/25/2008, 9:28 pm

Really good, excellent!

12/24/2008, 3:19 am